The 2 Things I Learned When I Became Invested In My Self-Care

Self-care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness.” However, do we protect and hold sacred our self-care as much as we pour ourselves into work, family, and other life’s demands? For most of us, the answer is “no.”

Self-care isn’t rooted in self-indulgence or luxury. It’s about knowing when your resources are running low, and stepping back to replenish rather than letting them all drain away. I find that when I am not taking good care of myself, I struggle to find patience for others. I am counting down the hours until 5pm. I am reaching for the easy way out, when I know that’s not the most rewarding path.

Here’s what I learned when I invested in myself:

IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO

How many times have we all said, “yes” to a night out when all we really wanted to do was curl up in bed? We are groomed as a society to say “yes,” and when we do have the courage to say, “no” we punish ourselves. We reward ourselves when we feel that our agendas are crammed full of activities, as this somehow makes our day more valid. When I became invested in making some time in the day for me, that meant saying “no” to walking the dog for an extra 10 minutes. It also meant that I’m saying “no” to the emails burning a hole in my inbox. When I said, “yes” to me, I became more invested in the “yes’s” that came afterwards.

SELF CARE ISN’T JUST A FACEMASK

Self-care is a REALLY big concept. When I became invested in caring for myself, I wanted to focus on small actions that made me feel gratitude. One of the most effective ways for me to identify these small joys of life, was creating a bullet journal. Writing a simple list of what I am grateful for (a cup of coffee, my good health, spring around the corner…) made me realize just how lucky I am. It also shifted my perspective, and lighted my mood. Self-care doesn’t just come in the form of a face mask or getting a manicure - it is free, attainable, and accessible to everyone and allows you to take a moment to yourself to rest, relax and restore each and every day.